Trolley wire hanger



April 2, 194 s. s. MATTHES TROLLEY WIRE HANGER Filed NOV. 16, 1937 Inventor SAMUEL SJVA YTHES Atlorney Patented Apr. 2-. 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TROLLEY WIRE HANGER Application November 16, 1937, Serial N 0. 174,781

8 Claims. (01. 174-160) My invention relates to trolley wire hangers and is particularly adapted to span wire construction in which the span wire is other than horizontal at the point of attachment to the hanger.

5 In present day trolley bus overhead construction it is very important that the trolley wire and its supports are placed in correct relation to the other parts in the overhead construction and such relation maintained.

This is due to a large extent to the fact that the current collectors mounted on the trolley poles of the bus swivel about a substantially vertical axis, and this requires very careful designing of materials and their application.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and relation of the parts as described in the specification and shown in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing- D Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view in elevation of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a view in partial section taken on the 88 line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in partial section of my invention shown on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig- 1. I

ll Fig. 6 is a, top view of Fig. 1.

part of the portion 2 with the long axis extend-v 0 ing in the direction of the arms 4.

The projecting arms 4 are provided at the ends with grooves 5 to receive the cable 6. The dome shaped portion 2 is provided with a groove 1 to receive the cable 6. The groove I is positioned 45 out of horizontal alignment with the grooves 5,

in other words located above the grooves 5.

By locating the grooves 5 and 'I'as just stated, I find it possible to form the member I of cast metal in a sand mold without the use of a dry 50 sand core. This reduces the cost materially as compared with a casting in which a dry sand core is used.

The dome shaped member 2 is also provided with oppositely extending grooves 8 leading into 5 theelongated opening 3. The grooves 8 if desired may be narrow slots extending entirely through the wall of the dome 2.

Mounted on the upper surface of the dome 2 is a washer 9 which has a bearing surface corresponding to that of the dome and also has projecting lugs III, which are positioned in the grooves 8 and engage the side walls thereof to prevent rotation of the washer and also to guide its movement relative to the dome 2 in a plane corresponding to that of the armsl. 9

I employ as insulating medium between the trolley wire and span wire an insulator II provided with an elongated member I2 of insulating material having enlarged ends I3 tapering inwardly as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4. Mounted on each end of the member I2 is a metal cap I4 which is formed of malleable metal having straight or parallel walls and is then placed upon theenlarged ends of the member I2 and the walls forced inwardly in strong engagement with the enlarged ends I3. The caps I4 are each provided with an opening I5 and the end wall having enlarged recess I6 which preferably has an irregular shaped side wall and which is shown as six sided in Fig. 5. Members I4 are provided with a projecting stud I1 and I8 respectively having the exposed ends threaded and having an enlarged portion l9 positioned in the recess IS. The head I9 is shaped to that of the walls of the recess thus preventing relative rotation.

The exposed portion of the stud I8 at one end of the insulating member I l extends through the slotted opening 3 in the portion 2 and also extends through an opening 20 in the washer 9. A nut 2| mounted on the threaded end of the stud I8 and the lock-washer 2| provide means by which the insulating member II is drawn upwardly and held tightly seated against the inner surface of the dome shaped portion 2. The nonrotatable washer 9 holds the lock-washer ZI' against rotation and loosening of the nut 2 I. The end faces 22 of the caps I4 are curved to corre spond to the inner face of the dome shaped member 2.

When the nut 2| is loosened, it is possible to adjust the' angularity of the insulating member II with respect to the yoke I in order to compensate for the dip in the span or supporting wire 6 and still maintain the insulating member II in an upright position.

In Fig. '7 it will be noted that the axis .r-y is angularly disposed to the axis c-d of the arms in Fig. 4 and also to the axis a-b which may be taken as the vertical axis of the yoke l at right angles to axis c-d.

To install my invention the yoke member I is applied to the span wire 6. The nut 2| is then loosened and the member ll adjusted to the position desired which is usually vertical and then the nut 22 is drawn up tightly to securely engage the cap 4 with the portion 2 of the yoke to prevent relative movement.

At the lower end of the hanger H, the stud S? is attached to a trolley ear or clamp 23 to support the trolley wire 24.

It has been found that in the course of time the insulating member [2 if made of wood will shrink regardless of the care taken in selecting the wood and its curing and, therefore, to prevent relative rotation of the insulating member l2 and the end caps I4 I have shown projecting lugs 25 which are interlocked with the enlarged ends I 3 of the wood member l2 and which will thus prevent relative rotation which would be quite detrimental in view of the stud I! having a threaded connection with the trolley wire support 23. The interlocks 25 may be used in case the member 12 is made of other materials than wood.

Having disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. A trolley wire hanger comprising a yoke provided with projecting arms having ends provided with means to receive a supporting cable, the yoke having an inverted cup shaped portion with an arcuate seat on its under surface and an elongated opening through the wall of said portion, the major axis of the opening extending in the direction of the axis of the arms, slots extending from the ends of the opening in opposite directions, an elongated insulating means having an insulating member with supporting means at one end and a suspending means at the other end,

the suspending means having a part projecting through the opening in the yoke and also having an arcuate bearing surface to engage with the aforesaid arcuate seat in adjustable relation thereto to change the angle which the insulated means makes with the arms, a washer mounted on the outer surface of the said portion and having means projecting into the slots to engage the side walls thereof to prevent rotation of the washer, an opening through the washer through which projects the aforesaid projecting part on the suspending means and means on the projecting part to secure the suspending means and yoke in. fixed relation after adjusting the same relative to each other, cable receiving means on the outer face of the cup shaped portion cooperating with the aforesaid cable receiving means on the arms to secure the hanger to the supporting cable and means on the said supporting means to secure thereto a trolley wire attachment.

2. A trolley wire hanger comprising a yoke pro vided with a recessed portion opening downwardly and arms rojecting in opposite directions from ti v side wall of the said portion, each arm having a groove to receive a supporting cable, an

projecting from the suspending means extending through the elongated opening, holding means associated with the suspending stud to hold the suspending means in fixed relation to the yoke after the insulating means has been adjusted as to the angle which the axis of the insulating means makes with the axis of said arms, a washer located between the upper surface of the yoke and the holding means, and projecting means from the washer extending into the second aforesaid grooves to permit the washer to be adjusted simultaneously with the adjustment of the insulating means and to engage the side walls of the grooves to prevent its rotation, cable receiving means on the side wall of the recessed portion and cooperating with the grooves in the arms to receive the supporting cable.

3. A trolley wire hanger comprising a yoke provided with projecting arms having means at the free ends to receive and hold a cable, intermediate means on the yoke to receive and hold the cable, the yoke also provided with an inverted cup shaped portion having a pair of arcuate bearing surfaces, one on the inner side and the other on the outer side of the said portion, an elongated opening through the wall between the said surfaces, grooves extending from the ends of the opening in opposite directions, an elongated insulator having an insulating member with supporting means at one end, the supporting means having an arcuate bearing surface to engage with the inner arcuate bearing surface of said portion, a stem associated with and projecting longitudinally from the cap and extending through the opening in the yoke and projecting above the outer arcuate bearing surface of said portion, a washer mounted on and in engagement with the outer arcuate bearing surface, the bearing surface on the washer corresponding in curvature with the bearing surface on the yoke, the opposite surface of the washer being substantially flat, means on the Washer projecting into the said grooves and engaging the sides of the grooves whereby the washer may move longitudinally of the slot but may not rotate whereby the angularity of the insulator relative to the yoke may be adjusted, means associated with the stem and engaging the said flat surface of the washer to draw the engaging arcuate surfaces into holding engagement after the angularity of the insulator and yoke has been adjusted, the non-rotatability of the washer preventing the means associated with the stem from inadvertently loosening, and means on theother end of the insulator to support a trolley wire.

4. A trolley wire hanger comprising a yoke provided with a dome shaped portion and projecting arms adapted for attachment to a support, an arcuate seat on the inner surface of the dome shaped portion and an elongated opening through the wall of said portion, the major axis of the opening extending in the direction of the axis of the arms, an elongated insulating means having an insulating member with supporting means at one end and with a suspending means at the other end, the suspending means having a part projecting through the opening in the dome portion and also having an arcuate bearing surface to engage with the aforesaid arcuate seat in adjustable relation thereto to change the angle which the insulated means makes with the arms, a washer mounted on the outer surface of the said portion and having means cooperating with means on the dome portion to prevent rotation of the washer, an opening through the washer through which extends the projecting part of the suspending means, means on the projecting part to secure the suspending means and yoke in fixed relation relative to each other after adjusting and means on the supporting means to receive a conductor supporting means.

5. In a trolley wire hanger, in combination, an insulator provided with an elongated insulating member, metal end members, one at each end of the insulator member, a yoke member provided with a dome shaped portion and laterally extending aligned arms therefrom adapted for attachment to a support, an elongated opening through the dome portion with the long axis extending in the direction of the arms, the dome portion also provided with oppositely disposed arcuate bearing surfaces, one of the said end members provided with an arcuate bearing surface to engage with the inner arcuate bearing surface on the dome portion and means associated with the end member and projecting through the said opening in the dome, whereby the insulator may be adjusted through an arc of a circle relative to the yoke and the longitudinal axis of the insulator varied relative to the axis of the arms, means associated with the last said means to secure the insulator to the yoke in fixed relation thereto after the necessary adjustment has been made of the yoke and insulator and means associated with the other end member to support a. trolley wire holder.

6. A trolley wire support comprising a yoke having means adapted to secure the yoke to an overhead support, and provided with a dome shaped portion having a spheric or are shaped a plane corresponding to the major axis of the elongated opening in order to secure the yoke to a support angularly disposed to the horizontal while the longitudinal axis of the insulator will be positioned vertically, means to immovably secure the yoke and insulator in said adjusted relation and means associated with the insulator for attachment to a trolley wire holder.

7. A supporting member for an insulator with an end member having an arcuate bearing surface, comprising a yoke provided with a dome shaped portion having outer and inner arcuate bearing surfaces, arms extending in opposite directions from the said portion and each arm adapted for attachment to a support and an elongated opening through the dome shaped portion with its major axis in alignment with the axis of the arms to receive a projection on the insulator with the said arcuate bearing surfaces in engagement whereby the axis of the insulator may be adjusted relative to the axis of the arms.

8. A supporting member for an insulator with an end member having an arcuate bearing surface, comprising a yoke provided with a dome shaped portion having outer and inner arcuate bearing surfaces, arms extending in opposite directions from the said portion and each arm adapted for attachment to a support and an elongated opening through the dome shaped portion with its major axis in alignment with the axis of the arms to receive a projection on the insulator with the said arcuate bearingsurfaces in engagement whereby the axis of the insulator may be adjusted relative to the axis of the arms,

the dome shaped portion provided with means to cooperate with an adjustable member which may be mounted on the outer arcuate bearing,

40 the insulator to the axis of the arms is adjusted.

SAMUEL S. MA'I'IHES. 

